Poisons which affect dogs

Common Household Poisons Affecting Dogs

There are several poisons affecting dogs (and cats), some lethally, of which many owners are entirely unaware. They all require prompt, often urgent, veterinary attention. In all cases, if you have any suspicion that your pet has been exposed to any of these poisons, it is imperative that you call us immediately on (020) 8542 4524, at any time of day or night. We check with our specialised Veterinary Poisons Information Service what the best treatment is for the particular poison and dose, while you bring your dog down to us. Please note this list is not exhaustive.

Most human medication, including paracetomol, ibuprofen (Neurofen) and Aspirin. Never give human medication to a pet unless instructed by a vet.

Lillies, while not usually lethal as in cats, can cause nasty tummy upsets.

Antifreeze used in cars. It is tasty so dogs will lick it up.

Chocolate (yes, really) and anything containing chocolate or cocoa solids. The bettr quality (i.e. darker) the chocolate, the more dangerous. White chocolate does not contain cocoa solids, so is not poisonous.

Grapes and raisins, even in very small amounts, can be fatal. This makes mince pies, fruit cake, and anything else containing raisins poisonous to dogs.

Onions.

Macadamia nuts can cause nerve problems, but have not caused fatalities as yet.

While not a dog problem, it is also useful to know that any off-the-shelf dog flea products can be fatal to cats. If a cat comes into contact with dog that has been recently treated, it can suffer fatal poisoning.